Peggy Poppins
by actionman81
Summary: When Peggy undertakes an undercover mission as a nanny to gradeschool twins, she gets more than she bargained for
1. Chapter 1

"Bloody Norah!" Peggy Carter put down the heavy receiver with a resounding clunk. She turned to her friend Angie Martinelli  
"What's wrong, English?"  
"That's just it" Peggy fumed, "It's not enough that the men treat me like their secretary, but now, even the men back home seem to think I'm nothing more than their help"  
Angie frowned with concern, "What happened, and don't leave anything out"  
"I suppose it's alright" It was 1949, and though she and Daniel were in a very loving relationship, Peggy had been forced to move back to New York, as fraternizing among agents, was frowned upon. By now, Angie herself was an agent, and the two were once again in one of Howard Stark's "smaller homes" as Edwin Jarvis had put it.  
"I have to fly to England" Peggy was succinct, "London, actually, to do some undercover work. It seems that – I hate this—I'm supposed to babysit some children as it were"  
"I didn't know you liked kids" Angie grinned  
"I never said that I didn't" Peggy snapped out of anger, not at Angie, but at her earlier phone conversationalist, "I simply don't want to be seen as just another weak willed woman"  
"Nice alliteration, there" Angie quipped  
"Yes, I suppose so" Peggy sighed. She sat on the other end of the couch that Angie was already seated on, "Where's that life of action and adventure"  
"With kids, you might just get that" Angie laughed at the situation

London, England

Peggy slipped her sunglasses on as she disembarked the airplane, but then promptly removed them. Rather than the sun, a dreary rainfall greeted her arrival. She slipped the red rimmed shades into her purse, gathered her luggage and went to meet her contact  
A middle aged man stood at the arrival gate, looking rather haggard. Dressed in in a formal tuxedo, he looked out of place, even in London, as the other passengers were in macs, sou'westers and other rain gear. In one hand, he held out a handwritten sign, "Nanny Banks" By now, Peggy already had pulled on a hooded mackintosh over her dress, but the man held an umbrella over her head.  
"I do hope you're her" he looked rather gloomy, much like the weather around him  
"That I am" Peggy smiled, "shall we go?"  
Once they had reached the car, Peggy made her formal introductions with the man, Malcolm, who turned out obviously to be the butler for the Banks family. "Miss Margaret" she shook his hand firmly  
"It's a joy to find a woman with a firm handshake" he smiled for the first time  
In the car, Peggy sat in the backseat and took the duration of the trip to the Banks' residence to review some of the information she already knew about her charges, and the mission.  
The two children were school age, and because their parents were part of the Home Office, threats had been made against the children's lives, in hopes of using them as a way to get to the parents, an agent was to be sent to the residence to make sure nothing foul occurred. Included with the brief dossiers of the parents, Alexander and Delores Banks, was a photocopied document from the children, apparently an advertisement they had written. Peggy smiled as she reread the rhyming words,  
"If you want this choice position, have a cheery disposition.  
Rosy cheeks, no warts. Play games, all sorts.  
You must be kind, you must be witty. Very sweet and fairly pretty.  
Take us on outings, give us treats. Sing songs, bring sweets.  
Never be cross or cruel, never give us castor oil or gruel.  
Love us as a nephew or niece and always know how to make peace.  
If you won't scold and dominate us we will never give you cause to hate us.  
We won't hide your spectacles so you can't see, put toads in your bed, and pepper in your tea.  
Hurry, nanny. Many thanks. Sincerely, Tasha and Tony Banks."  
"Tony" Peggy thought, "What a lovely name. Perhaps if Daniel and I have children, we'll name one Tony, or Michael, after – my brother" she sighed  
Soon, the car stopped in front of the house, a redbrick Victorian structure, and Malcolm opened her door for her  
"I am quite capable of opening a car door" she exited the vehicle, "but thank you"  
"Yes" he intoned  
They made their way to the front door. Before Malcolm could knock or remove a key from his pocket, the door was flung open and two small mop-topped shapes darted out. They came to practically a screeching halt at the sight of Peggy, dressed in her mackintosh and wearing a severe expression. From behind them, a voice followed,  
"Anthony! Natasha!" a well-dressed woman, also sharing her hair color with the children, followed them out of the house, "Come back inside this minute!" she shouted after them  
The children, for that matter, stood stock still, taking in Peggy with saucer-like eyes  
"Children" Malcolm finally introduced her, "This is Miss Margaret"  
"Hallo Miss Margaret" they said in unison. The effect was meant to be endearing, but resulted in an unnerving quality to the children's speech.  
"You must be Tony" Peggy smiled at the boy. His brown hair fell in a mop, practically covering his eyes. He grinned shyly at her  
"And you have to be Tasha" Peggy waved her fingers at the girl. Like her brother, she had brown hair, but hers was in braids, but she shared her brother's heavy bangs, though hers were trimmed a bit more neatly. They were both dressed for the weather, in well-worn pullover jumpers and sensible trousers.  
"Well" the woman who had to be their mother smiled at Peggy, "is she everything you'd hoped for?"  
"Oh yes, Mother" Tasha nodded  
"Is she ever!" Tony agreed  
"Splendid" Deloris Banks sized Peggy up for herself, "Do come in. I have much to show you before Alex and I head out for the evening"  
"The evening?" Peggy followed Deloris and the children into the house. Malcolm brought up the rear with Peggy's luggage, a small suitcase, while Peggy carried her own purse. Rather than argue with him, Peggy let the man take her baggage.  
"Alex and I have some research that must be taken care of. It's quite – urgent" she hesitated as she found the right term, "I know it's the first night, but the agency told us that they'd send their best. You do have experience with young children, don't you?"  
Peggy glanced at Tasha and Tony, who both looked about eight or nine, and were currently trying to fish marbles out of each other's trouser pockets while their elbows were interlocked  
"They're nothing that I can't handle" she forced a smile  
"Wonderful" Deloris nodded, "their bedroom is on the first floor, as is yours. Our bedroom, for Alex and I, is on the third floor along with our study. The children are not allowed in that room, under any circumstances"  
"Understood" Peggy nodded. Internally, she wondered what might be housed in that room  
"On the ground floor, we have the kitchen, dining room, drawing room, and a vanity" Deloris waved to one room or another as they walked down the hallway until they arrived at a set of stairs. She bent and picked up a battered roller skate off the first step  
"Children, where does this go?"  
Tony and Tasha looked at one another, "Toys go in our bedroom," Tasha finally replied  
"So it does" Deloris smiled, though this one was different than her previous one. She handed the skate to Tony, who held it by the threadbare straps  
"Their supper is at seven" Deloris was already giving more instructions, "Lights are out by eight"  
"For myself as well?" Peggy asked for clarification. No sense blowing her cover by being too presumptuous  
"Don't be daft" Deloris gave a flippant insult, "Keep to your room after the children are in bed, and check on them periodically"  
"Yes" Peggy nodded, "What time will you and Mr. Banks return?"  
"When we return" she frowned, "it might be best to have the children clean up their room"  
"Of course" Peggy sighed. "Come along then" she motioned for the children to head upstairs. As she followed them up the stairs, Peggy heard the front door open and then close. Deloris Banks must have left.  
Upstairs, the children proudly showed off their room. Peggy sighed. There were toys, clothes and all sorts of childhood debris everywhere. The children pointed out that a pair of twin beds, two small chairs; a table and a wardrobe were buried under the chaos.  
"Will you help us clean our nursery?" Tony looked up at Peggy with woebegone eyes  
"It's a room, not a nursery!" Tasha scowled, "A nursery is for little babies. We're quite grown up now"  
"I can see that" Peggy scanned the room, "Well, if you're so grown up, you ought not need my help"  
The children glanced at each other.  
"Well, come on. My grandmother has more life in her, God rest her soul. Move it!" she was stern  
The children jumped in shock, but then pulled themselves together when they realized that Peggy meant business. Together, Tony and Tasha put clothes into the wardrobe, pushed toys and knick-knacks onto the small table and into a previously hidden large wooden toybox, until the room was much, much cleaner.  
Peggy smiled. She hadn't lost her touch


	2. Chapter 2

Once the room had been cleaned, Peggy ushered the children downstairs for their supper.  
Rather than eating at the dining table, Deloris had given instructions that the children were to have their supper in the kitchen, and that Peggy- that is, Ms. Margaret- was to supervise them.  
Peggy sighed, "Come on now, it's not that bad"  
Tony and Tasha stared at their plates, "But I don't want to eat liver" Tasha scowled at her supper  
"There's a nice pudding afterward" Peggy tried to entice them, "A piece of pie for each of you, but you've got to have some of that meat first"  
"Why can't we have our pudding now, and eat this later?" Tony asked eagerly  
"Pudding before supper? Whoever heard of such a thing?" Peggy felt exasperated. Interrogating Dottie would have been easier, and more straightforward, "How can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat?"  
The children stared at her, seemingly aghast. Peggy caught sight of herself in the now darkened window that made up part of the back door of the house. She had become a cold, nagging, shew of a woman in a matter of moments. This would never do. She pulled over a kitchen chair to the small table where the children sat and genuinely looked at them, "I know it's not horribly tasty, but your mother must've put a lot of effort into it"  
"It's horrible, quite so" Tony balked  
"And Mummy didn't make it. Clarice did" Tasha explained  
"Clarice?" Peggy didn't understand  
"Our cook. She only comes in the morning and afternoon, but Daddy wants her gone by five o'clock" Tony informed  
"I see" Peggy mulled over that piece of information. "At least have a bite, and then I'll bring out the pie. It has cherries in it"  
"Cherries!" Tony whooped with glee  
"Fine, one bite" Tasha looked warily at the food in front her  
Now, they were back upstairs and had changed into their pajamas. Peggy tucked them into bed and sat on a full sized chair that now stood between the two twin beds.  
"Will you read us a story?" Tasha asked, "Our other nanny read us stories"  
"Only if you go right to sleep afterward" Peggy warned warmly. Now that she knew the children would listen to her, she could afford to be kind, especially since there seemed to be less danger of the children hurting themselves, along with being targets of would-be kidnappers, if the children could obey simple commands. Harsh though it sounded, Peggy knew that there were times when following was smarter than leading, but only when the commanding officer knew what they were doing.  
"Let's see" Peggy perused the bookcase that lined one wall. Thankfully, the earlier mess had spared that. Peggy couldn't see how the children could ruin a built in set of bookshelves that were attached to the wall itself. "The Doll's House, Twig, Rabbit Hill?" she frowned. If this was to be her life if she and Daniel were to have children after getting married, Peggy wasn't sure if this was any sort of life for her. Where was the action, the adventure?  
"Here, this looks interesting" she stood on her toes and reached for a book on the top shelf. When she pulled on it, however, it didn't come down in her hand, but instead, she heard an audible click, and the entire wall began to shift slightly to the side.  
The children looked amazed. Apparently, even they didn't know about this doorway in their room  
"What if that takes to a magical place?" Tony beamed  
"Oh, and there's talking animals waiting for us" Tasha continued the thought aloud  
"That may be" Peggy was firm, "but I'll have to check this out. Your parents are still out tonight and it's my responsibility to keep you safe" she glared at both children, "Stay in bed"  
"Yes, Ms. Margaret" they replied in unison. No matter how many times it happened, the effect was still rather unnerving.  
Peggy took the initiative, and gingerly stepped through the opening, which was no bigger than half a person. She was forced to step sideways into the darkness. She'd barely taken one step, when she heard a plaintive cry, not from inside the darkness but from without, behind her.  
"Please come back, Ms. Margaret" Tony whimpered, "We don't like it here. What if you got eaten by wolves?"  
"Or a monster?" Tasha chimed in  
"There are no such things as-" Peggy began, "Alright" she frowned. She stepped back through the passage, but didn't touch the bookshelf. "What's all the trouble?"  
"We'll be good" Tasha began, "Honest, we really will, just don't leave us alone. It's dark at night"  
"It usually is dark at night" Peggy explained, perusing the bookshelf for other, actual books. She plucked one off the shelf. This time, it easily came away in her hand. Five on a Treasure Island, she glanced at the cover, showing a picture of four children on a boat.  
"Our other nanny used to sit with us until we'd fallen asleep" Tony explained  
"I'm sure your other nanny didn't open up a secret passage in your bedroom" Peggy quipped  
Tasha and Tony looked at each other, and then burst out laughing.  
Once they'd settled down, Peggy sat on the chair again, "I'll read a little to you, but then I have work to do"  
"I'll bet you do" Tasha gave her a knowing look  
Peggy read a few minutes from Five on a Treasure Island, and thankfully, by then, the children were yawning and leaning back on their beds. Peggy placed the book on the chair, pushed the chair back between their twin beds, and covered the now sleeping children with their blankets. She slipped away, and headed into the gap in the bookshelf and the wall that was no wider than a crawlspace.


	3. Chapter 3

Peggy inched her way through the dark passage. "It can't be that deep. The walls are only so thick, and there's another room just next to the children's r-" her thoughts stopped as she literally hit a rough plaster wall. She'd come prepared, and Peggy switched on a small torch that she'd pulled from her jacket pocket. The outline was clear, "There should be a door here" she mused silently, "but why would it be covered up, and what is on the other side?" Peggy mentally reviewed what she knew about the house. It was a four level Victorian structure. The kitchen and drawing room were one floor below. Her room and the children's were on this floor and their parent's room and study were-  
Before she could investigate further, she heard Delores' voice coming from down the hallway, "Miss Margaret, you've done a lovely job"  
Peggy rushed out of the darkened hideaway. The torch, switched off, fell from her grip as she squeezed through the opening behind the bookshelf just in time. Delores was just coming into the room. Peggy stood in front of the bookshelf, hiding the space as best she could. The room was dark, with only the small lamp giving any light.  
"I see the children are in bed" Delores smiled, "And I had instructed you that you should stay to your room after they're in bed"  
"Yes" Peggy nodded demurely, "I was also told to check on the children, so I'm doing just that"  
"Very well" Delores sighed, "Alex and I shall retire now. Do see that you sleep. You'll need to wake the children in the morning"  
"Of course" she forced a smile  
Delores left the room, and Peggy sighed in relief. She pushed the bookshelf back and heard a minute click. "Bloody Norah" she cursed and looked at her empty hand. She'd have to go back for the torch another time. No sense in leaving evidence where anyone could find it, but it would be impossible now with the entire family in the house.

The next morning, Peggy was jolted awake by the mechanical alarm clock next to her small bed. Her room was decidedly sparse, with only a twin bed no bigger than the children's, a small side table, and a battered wardrobe closet. There was no desk, no chair, nothing to even suggest any leisure time. A bookcase was out of the question, and Peggy made do with her surroundings. "This can't be worse than the Griffith Hotel" she remembered her apartment from a few years ago, where Angie was a neighbor, among others.  
She rushed to dress and be presentable, and then headed next door to the children's rooms, "Alright, up, up, let's wake up now" she shook Tasha and then Tony awake  
"I'm sleepy" Tony whined  
"Well, then I must be Snow White" Peggy forced a cheerful expression. It would be no use being fired before she could find out what was actually going on in the house. "Hurry up now" she yanked the covers off the drowsy children.  
"Come now, it's time for school"  
"But it-" Tony started, and then he realized that indeed, the children had school today, "Oh, alright" he stumbled out of bed. His sister followed him. They walked down to the bathroom at the end of the hallway. Peggy watched as they brushed their teeth. Then, with their help and some instructions, she managed to get them bathed, dressed, and sent them downstairs.  
"Do you need me to sit with you?" she asked for clarification. No sense losing the job before she'd found any information yet.  
"No" Tasha informed her, "Clarice made it and we'll meet the others on the way"  
"What are you talking about?"  
"We walk to school, Miss Margaret" Tony looked up from his spot on the bed. The children wore matching uniforms, white shirts paired with navy blue, trousers for Tony and a skirt for Tasha. They wore matching neckties as well. Peggy helped them tie their school shoes.  
"Aren't you a bit young for that?" Peggy frowned  
"Mummy lets us." Tasha shot back  
"Alright" Peggy sighed. The sooner the children were out the door, the sooner she could begin some investigating in the house. Her job had been to watch the children at home. She'd done what she could.  
Clarice, who Peggy hadn't met yet, had prepared the children's breakfast.  
"Come on" Tasha pulled Tony to the staircase, "It's getting cold and I hate cold oatmeal!"  
For the moment, Peggy's job was done. The children took the stairs two at a time. Peggy heard them argue over breakfast, take their bags and leave the house by the front door. She glanced from the first floor window and saw them indeed walk down the street and meet up with a few other similarly dressed children, who looked to be a year or two older.  
"Eight and walking to school" she mused to herself.  
Then, Peggy turned on her heel, headed into the children's nursery bedroom, activated the book-switch that opened the sliding bookcase, and slipped into the dark chasm.


	4. Chapter 4

"Damn, where is it?" Peggy felt around with her hands for the torch. In the dark, she pressed against the wall at the end of the shallow recess, but her hand moved forward into the wall. The space where the door had looked painted over shuddered and slid away, revealing another room. Bravely, Peggy ventured in. She felt along the sides of the wall and found a light switch. Flipping it on, she stared at the room, as big as any of the bedrooms, but lined with bookshelves, which were crammed with books, periodicals, and other paperwork, while a map table stood in the center of the room, covered with paperwork. Peggy quietly went over to the table and perused the papers strewn about.  
"The Home Office must be lucky to have such hard working operatives working for –" she stopped. The papers she was looking at weren't originals. She'd heard about an American who'd developed a machine that could copy papers. "Why would the Home Office need to copy these papers?" she mused silently, "Surely, they're kept safe enough-" the realization hit her suddenly, "They're being sent off" she scanned the room. The little touches to the area were easy to miss, but the more Peggy glanced around, the more it made sense. The room's walls, where she could see them from behind the bookshelves, were painted green. While she liked the color enough, it didn't go color palette of the rest of the house, which was more floral and feminine. Peggy carefully went through the papers, and then started looking through the books on the shelves. German writers popped up at every turn. Diaries, telephone directories had been repurposed into notebooks, thick volumes. Peggy took one at random, "Schematics, diagrams, volumes of information" she uttered at the sheer amount of catalogued notes in the tomes. All at once, she knew that Alex and Delores Banks didn't really work for the Home Office, but she couldn't dare let on. She shut the light, left everything as it was and rushed out of the passage. She stood on her toes and activated the book-switch to close the secret passage. Now, she had to simply bide her time until she could contact the SSR, and that would be no easy feat, from all the way in jolly old England.

Peggy checked the children's room, but found no evidence of bugs or other tampering. She began her trek upstairs to check Alexander and Delores' room, but a voice stopped her.  
"Miss Margaret" Clarice shouted from the ground floor. Her voice carried up the staircase shaft  
"Yes" Peggy turned back  
"We haven't had a chance to properly speak"  
"Perhaps another time" Peggy began, "I have to clean some things the children left on the staircase"  
"Ah, the children" Peggy heard Clarice's smile in her voice. "I'll be leaving early today. Please mention it to Mrs. Banks"  
"Indeed I shall" Peggy called back. She heard footsteps and then the opening and closing of a door. She glanced out the window and sure enough, Clarice's round form made her way down the pathway, onto the sidewalk and was out of view in a matter of moments.  
Peggy sighed to herself. The house was hers, and she could do as she pleased. She headed up the stairs and checked on the Banks' study, but it was locked. The bedroom was open, but as she searched, being careful to place everything back as she'd found it, there was nothing of worth to be found. Peggy had her suspicions that the parents were working for Hydra, but then, what did she expect to find, a Hydra necklace amongst Delores' jewelry box contents, or a Hydra tie clasp among Alex's things? The husband and wife looked like model, if not absent, parents. The children were as children should be, loud and rambunctious. The secret room, however, was something else. There was no doubt that it reeked of Hydra, though nothing struck her as obvious.

Soon enough, the children were home from school. Peggy glanced out of the window in the Banks' parents' bedroom. She could see Tony and Tasha, but other children as well. She rushed downstairs to open the door for them.  
"Home, are we?" she smiled  
"Hallo Miss Margaret" Tasha and Tony said in unison. That never ceased to bother Peggy.  
"Come on in, and who are your friends?"  
"This is Samuel" Tasha pointed at an African American little boy  
"And this is Phillip" Tony motioned to a brown haired little boy  
"And what's your name, darling?" Peggy asked a little blonde girl who hung back shyly  
"None of your business, lady" she stuck out her tongue  
"Sweet child" Peggy smiled, "come on in, the lot of you". The children took the invitation and barged right into the foyer. They marched down to the kitchen and waited patiently for Peggy to serve refreshments.  
"Biscuits and milk" Peggy placed a package of cookies on the table with a milk pitcher and five glasses. The children pounced on the snacks and made short work of the food.  
"Can we go upstairs and play, Miss Margaret?" Tony asked, spraying biscuit crumbs onto his school shirt.  
"Is there any homework?" Peggy wasn't sure what the Banks would have asked her regarding the children and their studies, but it was better to err on the side of caution rather than be sacked from the job, especially now that she'd uncovered so much.  
"No!" the children shouted in chorus. They rushed up the stairs, laughing and clawing at one another to be the first to the top of the staircase landing.  
Peggy sighed, dumped the glasses in the sink, and tossed the empty biscuit package in the trash. She sat down to figure her next plan of action.  
Surely there were agents here, in England, or she could visit the Home Office and speak with them directly, once she had proper proof that-  
"I want to go in first!"  
"No, let me!"  
Little voices shouted from upstairs.  
Quick as a flash, Peggy rushed upstairs. She entered the children's room and gasped in horror. The secret passage lay open, with several pieces of furniture pushed up against the bookshelf.  
Meanwhile, the children tussled on the ground, arguing over who would go first.  
Peggy rushed to break up the fight between the children. She dove among the biting, scratching, hair-pulling, and finally was able separate all five youngsters.  
"Who did this?" she glared from one child to another  
"He did" they all shouted together, "she did!"  
"Alright, everyone on the beds" she commanded. The children, dutifully, sat on the beds, the boys on one, the girls on another.  
"You already know about this" she clicked the book back into place and watched as the bookshelf slid back into the wall. "Now" she turned to the children, "Tony, Tasha, I thought you knew better than this"  
"But it's really fun" Tony piped up  
"And nobody believed us until we said we'd show them" Tasha explained  
"That may be, but" Peggy sighed, "we're going to have to make this right"  
"What's wrong about it?" Sam asked innocently  
Peggy thought about the best way to explain it, "This is Tony and Tasha's parent's house, and you shouldn't have gone about snooping without asking permission"  
"But you did it!" Tony retorted  
"That was an accident" Peggy frowned. She wished there was a way to make the children forget things. Then, she had a brainwave.  
"Stay here children, and don't touch anything" she went into her room. Peggy could hear the boys teasing each other, "I'm not touching you- not touching you- still not touching you"  
Peggy dipped her hand into a cavernous handbag. An everyday purse was not enough for such a mission, so while she'd called it a purse, it was a rather large handbag in fact.  
She dug deep into the bag and came up with what she'd wanted, one of the SSR's inventions, made by resident scientist, Samberly.  
She walked back and took the children one at a time, and placed a device's electrodes onto each of their temples. The device flashed and the children looked blankly at her.  
"Hallo" Phillip smiled, "Where are we?"  
"You're at Tony and Tasha Banks house" Peggy instructed  
"Say, I don't remember coming here" Sam looked confused  
"Now" Peggy smiled, "You came here for biscuits and milk, and you'll go home since it's so late"  
"Thank you for coming" Tony smiled, as Peggy led the children downstairs. She hated having to use the Memory Inhibitor on all the children, and truthfully was worried about what lasting effects it might have had on such young brains.  
Once all three children had left, Tasha turned back to Peggy, "Oh, but I had wanted to show them the secret passage. Wouldn't that have been fun?"  
Peggy nearly smacked her own forehead in frustration. The Memory Inhibitor couldn't erase the previous night's events.  
"No" Peggy frowned, "that's not going to happen. Now come upstairs again and we'll get you changed into some play clothes"  
"Alright" the children resigned  
Peggy led them upstairs. The school uniform shirts, shorts and skirt flew off. T-shirts and trousers were yanked from the wardrobe drawers. It was then that Peggy noticed something  
"Tasha" she called the little girl over, "What's on your neck?"  
"A necklace"  
"But you didn't have it on earlier"  
"That's because Rosie gave it back to me today"  
"Rosie- who?" Peggy was confused  
"Silly!" Tasha laughed, "You met her today"  
"Oh" Peggy realized, "the little blonde girl"  
"Uh huh" Tasha grinned and nodded  
"I see" Peggy stared at the necklace.  
It was a Hydra symbol.  
"Where'd you get such a pretty necklace?"  
"Do you want it?" Tasha smiled  
"That wouldn't be right" Peggy tread lightly on the topic  
"It's ok. Mummy gave it to me and I can give it to you!" she gleefully removed the pendant and held it out to Peggy.  
"Mummy won't mind" Tony chimed in, "She's always losing things"  
"Is she?" Peggy smiled and reached for the necklace  
"She is" Delores' voice boomed behind Peggy.  
"Oh, I'm sorry, Ma'am" Peggy changed her demeanor, "I was simply helping the children change from their school clothes"  
"I see that you were" Delores was no longer prim and proper; now she was cold, ice cold. "See that you busy yourself with only what you're to do and not with what you aren't"  
"Yes" Peggy nodded meekly. She wanted to punch the self righteous cow in her painted up face, but that would in no way help the situation.  
"Natasha" Delores turned to her young daughter, "I'd like my necklace back, now"  
Tasha nodded quietly and handed the Hydra pendant over to her mother. Peggy's heart sank. There went her one tangible fact that Alex and Delores were indeed working for Hydra. Sadly, the children had no idea who their parents truly were.  
"Finish changing the children's clothes and then I want to see you in the study, upstairs, Miss Margaret"  
"Yes" Peggy nodded, fearing the worst. She rushed through the process, helping Tony and Tasha with their t-shirt and trousers, lacing up their sensible shoes. She smiled at them, as they were finished being dressed.  
"Don't worry" Tony took her hand, "It only hurts a little bit"  
"What does?" Peggy's brows furrowed  
"The spoon" Tony replied matter of factly  
"The-" Peggy began  
"You know" Tony slapped one hand against the other.  
"Does it happen often?" she asked with concern  
"Only when we're naughty" Tasha explained. She turned to her brother, "Don't tell anyone what we did today. I don't want another spanking, do you?"  
Tony shook his head vigorously in response  
"I'll be back, children" Peggy headed to the door  
"We're sorry, Miss Margaret" Tasha began, "We didn't know you'd get into trouble"  
"It's alright" Peggy lied. She was sure that she'd be in dire "trouble" as it were.  
"You're not like our other nannies" Tony beamed, "You're strong"  
Peggy nodded and smiled. Then she turned and headed out into the hallway and up the stairs, ready for the worst.


	5. Chapter 5

Delores was waiting at the parents' bedroom by the time Peggy reached the top of the stairs. Peggy entered the room and Delores shut the door behind her. She held out the necklace to Peggy, "You obviously recognize this, Miss Margaret" she fumed, "if that's your real name"  
Peggy feigned ignorance, "No Ma'am" she shook her head, "It's a lovely animal. Octopus, I believe"  
"Don't play games" she frowned, "We haven't got the time for that" her face softened, "I need your help, desperately"  
Peggy looked shocked. She hadn't been expecting this.  
Delores went on, "Obviously you know about our work for Hydra. I have a degree in psychology, and my husband is- was a surgeon, but Hydra found out about us, and they recruited us into their work" she sat on the bed, and motioned for Peggy to sit next to her. Peggy glanced at the door.  
"Alex won't be home for awhile" Delores explained, "and seeing what happened today, I knew I had to speak with you right away, before anything else happened"  
"I'm afraid I don't understand" Peggy spoke the truth.  
"You're of course here to protect the children" Delores went on, "but also so – we were – I was hoping that you could find a way to get the children and me out" she glanced at the door, "You don't know what he's like"  
"Your husband"  
"He gladly joined Hydra, seeing things in surgical terms, as a way to remove cancers from society, but I didn't see it that way. I can't go anywhere with the children, I can't escape, not on my own. He'd have found me, he'll find me, no matter where I go. I really do need your help"  
"I'm just a nanny, ma'am" Peggy kept with her cover story.  
"Oh, come off it!" Delores colored, "I haven't got time for some silly fairy tale about nannies. I need your help, damn it."  
Peggy looked down, at the pendant in Delores' hand.  
"This?" Delores noted, looking at the pendant, "was given at a recruitment ceremony. I couldn't bear to wear it. I gave it to Tasha, hoping that she'd lose it. Somehow, it always came back" she sighed. She went on, "It's been five years since Hydra recruited us. They gave us jobs at the Home Office, and now, with the new photocopying machines available, they've had us duplicate schematics, diagrams, anything they think they can use against the Allied powers. Anything" she looked spent, having divulged everything. Delores looked squarely at Peggy.  
"Now tell me the truth, Miss Margaret. Will you help the children and me escape?"  
"The first thing we must do, before even planning an escape, is finding out whether we can trust Malcolm and Clarice" Peggy explained.  
"Malcolm is like a brother to Alex, and Clarice has been with us since the children were babies"  
"Malcolm being brotherly to Alex might be one problem" Peggy looked at it from a different side, "and Clarice, how well do you know her, really?"  
"Alex hired her, and –" Delores' voice stopped abruptly when she realized what her words alluded to. "I see" she finally replied.  
"Alex is still at the Home Office, right?" Peggy asked  
Delores nodded in response  
"Then, we'll have a chance to move the children now"  
"Now?" Delores seemed more afraid.  
"Would you prefer to wait until Alex comes home and we have a nice interrogation?" Peggy was sarcastic.  
Delores shook her head side to side vigorously. Apparently, she was too shocked or scared to see the sarcasm.  
"Fine" Peggy was stern, "Then let's get up and make a headway of it, shall we?"  
Delores stood as she was told and trooped into the children's room.  
"Anthony, Natasha, we're going on a little trip" she forced a smile, "Come on now, pack up some things and we'll be off"  
"Right now?" Tasha looked amazed  
"Yes" Delores nodded, "now. Quickly, grab a haversack and fill it with what you'll want to take with you Things you'll need."  
Tony and Tasha didn't need to be told twice. A surprise trip was something that sounded lovely.  
"What if we're going to a secret treasure island?" Tony grinned, throwing clothes and toys into a brown backpack.  
"With pirates and goblins!" Tasha nodded, as she tossed childhood items into her bag as well. Moments later, the children were ready and waiting at the top of the stairs. Their mother arrived, with Miss Margaret bringing up the rear. Although now, Miss Margaret looked different- she had on pants, not a skirt, and a funny sort of jacket on. It had pockets all over it.  
"Come now, children" she smiled, "Let's head downstairs. I've called ahead for a car to arrive"  
"Where are we going, Miss Margaret?" Tasha asked once they'd reached the bottom of the steps.  
"We're going to visit some friends of mine. They'll help us out"  
"Where is Daddy?" Tony looked up at Peggy.  
"He's busy at work" Delores said, not skipping a beat.  
"Why isn't he coming with us?" Tony inquired.  
Again, Delores looked at her son, "There are some things that Daddies simply have to do. There are some things that Mummies have to do, to help her children"  
"Oh" Tony nodded, as if he understood.  
The car pulled up and everyone got in.  
"A taxi, really?" Delores seemed put off by the vehicle.  
"It was the fastest thing I could think of" Peggy explained, "And by now, you probably have guessed that I'm not really a nanny"  
"Well, your methods were a bit unorthodox, to begin with" Delores admitted, "but the children love you"  
"Oh yes, we really do" Tasha chimed in, "you're great"  
"Excellent, really" Tony agreed.  
"Do you still have the necklace?" Peggy questioned.  
"I was so upset, but I pushed it in my pocket to get it out of my hand" Delores explained, and fished out the Hydra pendant.  
"Good" Peggy smiled, "hand it over, please, and it'll be a worthwhile piece of evidence in handling Alex"  
Delores promptly handed over the necklace. Peggy slipped it into her pocket.  
"Where are we going?" Tony glanced out of the car's window.  
"We're going to meet some friends of mine who can help us. You'd like them quite a bit. They're called the Howling Commandoes"


	6. Chapter 6

The taxi stopped outside a pub. "This is our stop" Peggy smiled. Everyone clambered out. Delores looked up at the building,  
"This really isn't the best place for children"  
"That may be" Peggy agreed, "but I'm sure they'll be fine. You'll like Dugan and the rest"  
Peggy had no sooner entered the building when a cheer rose from the far end of the room. Dum Dum Dugan stood and raised his full mug.  
"Miss Union Jack!" he cheered  
"I've asked you never to speak of that" Peggy's voice was firm, but she smiled nonetheless.  
"Right-O" he nodded. The group parted and made room for the four newcomers.  
"We've got a bit of a sticky wicket here" Peggy continued, not letting Dugan stop to ask what she referred to, "There's been a Hydra plant at the Home Office, and it's our job to flush him out"  
"Has father been bad?" Tasha asked tentatively  
"No, sweetheart" Delores bent down so mother and daughter were at eye level, "Sometimes- well- sometimes, people make mistakes. We've just got to make sure he doesn't make anymore. A lot of people could be hurt because of that"  
"Oh" she seemed to understand  
"Let's get situated" Peggy ushered everyone to the table, "We've got a lot of work to do, all of us"  
The men rushed to put more chairs around the table. Tony looked up at Dugan's hat.  
"I like your hat" he smiled, "Why does it look so funny?"  
"It's a bowler hat" Dugan nodded, "It's called that because—because—" he glanced back at the others, "why do they call it that?"  
The other soldiers just laughed  
"Enough of this" Peggy was in full alert and ready for action, "We want to disarm him, capture him, but do not hurt you unless absolutely necessary" she glanced from man to man, "do you all understand that?"  
A chorus of yeses and nods came from the group.  
"So, we'll charge in there and-" Dugan began  
"No" Peggy scowled at the men, "what did I just say about disarming him. If you burst in there like a pack of wild animals, someone will get shot, possibly will die, and I don't want that to happen. Are we clear?"  
Again, the group nodded solemnly  
"Now then, someone else with a slightly more cool and level headed idea"  
Dernier said something in French. Jones laughed and translated for him, "He said why do we not show up with flowers and chocolates from the Mrs."  
"A bit like the Trojan Horse from mythology" Peggy thought aloud, "I like it"  
The team discussed some more, finally coming up with a plan. Delores was included in the details, but the children were chiefly left out.  
Luckily, as the group was leaving the bar, a mother and daughter were making their way down the pavement. The girl, about ten, was carrying some stuffed animals consisting of a rather fat teddy bear, a tiger, and a donkey.  
"Oh Mummy, can we play with her?" Tasha asked expectantly.  
"I don't see why not" Delores quickly agreed, hoping to get on with her part of the action plan.  
"Hallo" Tony stuck his hand out.  
"Why hello there" the mother smiled. The girl obviously had her arms full with her stuffed toys.  
"I'm Tony, and this is my sister Tasha" he went on, "May we play with – those toys?" he glanced eagerly at the soft dolls.  
"Ah- of course" she nodded, "This is my daughter Madeline"  
Madeline agreed, and whispered, "Lets play nap-time" to her stuffed animals. Tony and Tasha thought that was odd. Madeline held out the donkey to Tasha, then the tiger to Tony. The sibling smiled at each other. It felt like it had been so long since they'd had any time to play. The four headed to a nearby park.

With the children engrossed in playtime, Delores, the Howling Commandos and Peggy headed for their next stop. They bought a bouquet of roses, and a box of chocolates.  
"I don't see how this will help" Delores sounded confused  
"It's not the flowers and candy" Dugan explained, "It's what we're – um- going to – uh"  
"It has to do with what we will do with them" Jones finished  
Peggy was already at work, as she pulled out two vials in her pocket.  
"You came prepared with that?" Dugan looked genuinely surprised  
"Not exactly" Peggy explained, "This" she held up on vial, "came from something I'd nicked from Clarice". Peggy poured the contents from the vial into the flowers.  
She held out the other vial, "This is only to be poured in right before you hand over the flowers" she instructed, "Ammonia"  
"Yes, right before" Delores understood. She glanced down at the box in her hand, "and the chocolates?"  
"Those are if the flowers don't work" Peggy went on, as she plucked each chocolate from the now open box and injected each one using a small syringe she'd pulled from her cavernous purse, "This" she explained, "is a powerful paralytic designed by Dr. Samberly from the SSR. One should put your husband into a catatonic state" she looked over at Dugan, "eating more than one would probably kill someone, even of your size" she warned.  
"Yes Ma'am" Dugan nodded in agreement.

Once they'd neared the house, Peggy pressed the flowers and chocolates into Delores' hands  
"You know what to do" she reminded.  
"I can't do this – not alone" Delores fretted.  
"Fine" Peggy resigned herself to helping out, "let's take care of this once and for all"  
"Darling" Alex called from inside the house, "Is that you?"  
"Uh- yes" Delores called back, now in the foyer with Peggy.  
Alex came bounding down the stairs, "Oh, had you gone out?"  
"Yes, I've uh- taken the children out for some playtime. They were so miserable being in the house all afternoon"  
"But Ms. Margaret is with you" he frowned at Peggy.  
"Oh" Delores sighed  
"I've just come for some of the children's things. You know how they wish for something to play with, even outdoors" Peggy lied quickly  
"Yes, yes" Alex nodded absently, "Well, go take them their toys, and I suppose we'll see you at supper time tonight" he sent her off.  
Peggy glanced at Delores, silently urging her to continue with the task at hand, and then left the house. She rushed back to the park and found the children still playing with the other little girl and her soft toy menagerie. The girl's mother sat on a bench, looking on.  
"What does a Tigger do?" Tasha asked, eyeing the stuffed tiger doll.  
Madeline clapped her hand over the stuffed animal's mouth, "Oh, so many things" she laughed.  
"Children" Peggy broke up their festivities, "I'd like you to come with me"  
"Oh, but we're having a lovely time" Tony whined, "and she was telling us the most wonderful stories"  
"That's fine" Peggy smiled, "but we really need to get moving"  
"Can we at least have something for tea?" Tony rubbed his stomach, "I have – a rumbly in my tumbly"  
"He learned it from her" Tasha glanced at Madeline. The other girl simply smiled demurely.  
Peggy, Evelyn, and the children trooped back to the bar, "Three glasses of warm milk, please" Peggy asked the barkeep, who stared back at her in disbelief. Then, using the telephone, she rang the Banks' residence.  
"I'm sorry" Alex answered the phone, "Delores can't speak with you at the moment" there was a pause, "How about you bring the children back. It must be close to their tea time"  
Peggy feared the worst had befallen Delores. Not knowing what had occurred in the time she'd been away, she simply said, "Oh, I'll see that they're back soon. We've decided to have a little tea outside. A picnic if you will"  
"Splendid" came the reply, "Do be home by supper time"  
Peggy ended the call and glanced at Tony and Tasha. Could their mother have been killed at the hands of their father? She hoped not, but would not doubt Alex to do such a horrible thing.


	7. Chapter 7

Peggy knew she didn't have much time to come up with an action plan. If Alex tired of waiting, he might come for the children now. She needed a way to get them to a safe place. Going home was out of the question, and there was only so much that the Howling Commandos could do on their own.  
Suddenly, she remembered the children's story that she'd read to Tony and Tasha on the first night. "Five on a Treasure Island" she thought, "had a girl named Georgina who wished herself to be called George, and had her hair cut short"  
Peggy glanced at Tony and Tasha, now drinking milk and eating biscuits with Madeline and her mother.  
"I have a terrible idea" she smiled.  
Before Madeline and her mother had left the bar, Peggy sat with the two children. She inspected their clothes, knitted jumpers and hard wearing heavy trousers with sensible leather shoes. Rather unisex, at the least, certainly boyish. "This will do just fine" she reasoned.  
She took a pair of scissors from the barkeep and set to work, trimming Tasha's long hair into a style similar to her brother's.  
"Why must I cut it off?" frowned the little girl.  
"We're playing a game" Peggy improvised, "I want to see how much you two are alike"  
"We are twins" Tony laughed  
"True" Peggy smiled at the children, "and now you truly look alike" she admired her handiwork for a moment. "What did you pack?" she changed topics, looking at the children's backpacks.  
The children emptied small toys, a change of clothes and a book apiece from their rucksacks.  
Through all this, Madeline and Evelyn, her mother, looked on, confused.  
"We've had a little problem" Peggy grasped for an explanation, "It would be better if we weren't recognized"  
"We're on an adventure" Tony piped up, "like the Famous Five" he referenced the children's book they'd read earlier  
"A bit like that" Peggy colored, "I'll have ask if I could borrow your jacket, Evelyn"  
"My jacket?" she frowned, confused.  
"Please, it's quite important" Peggy implored  
"Alright" Evelyn handed over her forest green coat, and shrugged herself into Peggy's navy blue coat.  
"Children, are we ready?" Peggy turned to her two wards.  
"Oh yes" Tasha nodded, now with a short mop of hair like her brother.  
"We had a lovely time playing" Tony smiled at Madeline.  
"Thank you, really" Peggy shook hands with Evelyn and her daughter, "but we really must go now"  
Peggy took the children each by the hand and led them out into the daylight. They'd made it to the bus stop, while the children waved frantically at an oncoming red double-decker, when Peggy saw Alex coming down the pavement.  
"Quiet now" she warned the twins.  
Alex neared closer.  
Closer still.  
"I say" he began, "Miss Margeret, I'd like a word with you" he reached out and tapped the shoulder of a dark haired woman wearing a knit cap and a navy blue coat. "Where's Anthony?"  
Evelyn Robin turned around, an aghast expression on her face, "I beg your pardon!" she glared at the man.  
"Oh – I -uh" he backed away and glanced down. The girl with her was not Natasha in the least. This child clutched three large stuffed animals as she gazed up at him.  
"Must we keep playing nap-time?" a growly voice asked from the vicinity of the pair.  
"Yes, hush" the child whispered.  
Alex staggered away, glancing back now and again, as he passed onlookers in the street, including a brunette woman with her twin boys, or so it appeared to be.  
"Very good" Peggy knelt and smiled at the children, "Now we've got to go meet someone else who can help us"  
"Mr. Dugan and his friends?" Tasha asked hopefully  
"No" Peggy shook her head, "someone who can do more than them"  
With that, she headed to the SSR headquarters situated in the very city they were in, London.

Though officially, the headquarters had been dismantled in 1945, after Hydra was presumably destroyed, and Peggy had been instrumental with the capture of Hydra agent Reinhardt two years ago, she knew that the building still stood, and that agents were still active, keeping tabs on various leads.  
Peggy and the children took advantage of the crowded London streets as she led them to the facility. She reviewed the facts in her mind. What had started out as a routine undercover operation had become so much more. She had half a mind to verbally lambaste Howard Stark once she'd returned to New York City, "I might even track him down to DC, just to give him what for" she scowled at the thought, "Imagine, using this transition time as a way to send me on some mission where- where-" she paused her thoughts, but her legs kept walking swiftly. She turned the events around in her mind, "Howard had agents set me on a mission so I wouldn't be behind a desk at Shield" she realized. The SSR was now a subdivision of Howard and Peggy's larger organization, Shield, but Peggy had detested many of the managerial meetings fraught with paper pushing and mundane charts and figures. Howard had been better suited for that, along with his other business ventures. Jack Thompson, among other agents, had made full use of transition, with Thompson for example, easily moving from chief at the SSR to now chief agent with Shield's New York City division. Howard had moved to Washington DC, while Daniel was still in Los Angeles. The move, with Peggy being stationed in New York City, had been disappointing, to say the least, but perhaps with the action and adventure she was now plummeted headlong into, she wouldn't be riding a swivel chair behind a desk.  
"Here we are" she pushed on the doors of the London SSR facility, No doubt, it was part of Shield, even if the –  
She stopped. Rather, the doors stopped. In fact, they didn't budge.  
Peggy peered through the darkened glass. The place looked deserted, "I suppose it truly has been dismantled" she sighed.  
"What do we do now?" Tony looked confused. Tasha agreed solemnly.  
"Well- we" Peggy began. She hesitated. Here she was, back home, yet she felt even more bewildered as to where to take these two children that would possibly be safe and protected. The Home Office was no help as it had clearly been infiltrated by Hydra. It had been a few years since she'd had proper contact with the SSR, now Shield in this part of the world.  
She remembered Dum Dum Dugan's oft quoted question to her, "What would Cap say-", then going on some query meant to show how men should protect women. As always, her reply had been,  
"He would say 'Do as Peggy says!'" she'd shouted at him  
Peggy smiled. She knew what had to be done


	8. Chapter 8

There was no time to waste skirting around the issue. Perhaps instead of running away from Alex, Peggy would have to confront him head on. She couldn't very well do that with the children, Tony and Tasha, alongside her, but they might be able to sway their father.  
Peggy bundled the twins into a bus.  
"What happens when someone makes a mistake?" Peggy looked to the children, now sitting next to her.  
"When we get in trouble at school, Teacher makes us stand in the corner" Tasha explained, her now short hair bouncing around her face.  
"At home, Father beats us" Tony was candid.  
"Oh" Peggy nodded solemnly as she planned her next move, "I see"  
Soon, the bus stopped near the house. The three disembarked and Peggy made her way into the foyer first, the children trailing behind her.  
From upstairs, she heard Delores, "Children, is that you?"  
"Oh Mother!" Tasha jumped forward. Peggy caught her wrist in one hand and Tony's with the other.  
"Wait, please" Peggy implored, "Alex" she called upstairs, "It's Miss Margaret. Why don't you and Delores come downstairs?"  
"I'm afraid that's not possible" Alex's voice wafted down the stairs, "she's a bit- tied up at the moment" there was a laugh.  
"Fine" against her better judgment, Peggy made her way up the stairs, with the children in tow.  
Soon, they were in the children's bedroom, the secret passage plainly open now. Alex sat on one of the beds, while Delores lay behind him. Peggy could only see her waist and legs.  
"Why don't you come here and give me a hug?" Alex beckoned the children.  
Tony and Tasha hesitated. They were only eight, but they weren't foolish. "I don't like this" Tony began, "Why is Mother sleeping?"  
"She's just tired" Alex smiled, his eyes boring into the twins.  
"Please Alex" Peggy cut in, "she isn't part of this. Let her go"  
"Oh, is the help giving orders now?"  
"Don't do this in front of the children"  
"Capital idea!" he stood. The children could now see their mother dazed out of her mind. Her eyes rolled lazily around in the sockets.  
"Are you alright?" Tony and Tasha rushed to her side. By now, Alex stood in front of the bookcase passage.  
"Why don't you come here and I'll show you something?" Alex waggled a finger towards Peggy  
Peggy took a single step forward warily. "Leave the children and Delores alone"  
"You have my word" Alex grinned  
"I can see that" Peggy glanced at Delores on the bed with the children holding on to her for dear life.  
"Tony, Tasha" Peggy gave orders, "Take your mother downstairs"  
The twins helped their mother up and led her from the room. Alex didn't seem worried at all.  
"You do realize I'll just pick them off after you're dead" he explained  
"We'll see about that"  
"But since you're so interested in my work, perhaps you'd like to see it for one last time?"  
Alex and Peggy were so engrossed in the dramatic conversation playing out that they didn't hear little feet creeping up the stairs again.  
Peggy reached back and punched Alex in the face. He fell backwards against the open bookcase. Peggy steadied herself for the reciprocal oncoming punch. Her arms braced in front of her, ready to go, but Alex didn't seem to respond.  
"Could he be out cold?" she wondered silently, bending towards him.  
In a flash, Alex opened his eyes and grabbed Peggy by her hair. Her head jerked backward in his grasp. She reached out with her hands for something, anything that could help. Her fingers closed around something, but it turned out only to be a cloth doll.  
Outside the children's bedroom, Tony and Tasha reached into Peggy's cavernous bag. They pulled out a number of items, including her umbrella, an identification card, her passport, and a pair of electrodes connected to a dialed device. Tony reached in, almost to his armpit, into the large purse, and fished out something small and black.  
"I say" he looked astonished, "It's a gun"  
"Tony" Tasha glanced into the room, "Miss Margaret is in trouble" she turned back to her brother, "We've got to help her"  
"But Father will-" Tony began  
"Oh, never mind about a spanking" Tasha frowned, "Look at what happened to Mother" she sighed  
Tony passed the firearm to his sister, "I won't do that" he looked frightened.  
"Alright" Tasha held the gun and bravely went into the room.  
"Miss Margaret" Tasha held out the pistol.  
"No, my sweet girl" Alex snatched the pistol from his daughter's hand, and he tossed the weapon aside, out of her reach. Peggy looked on in dismay.  
Tasha glanced around the room. By now, Tony had come inside as well. They stood against one of the twin beds, frightened both of their father, and for their nanny.  
"Here" Tony passed his sister a heavy, hardback children's novel, Five on a Treasure Island. Tasha slid it towards the grappling pair.  
Peggy looked down for a moment as something touched her foot. She reached down, straining againt's Alex's grip on her. Her hand closed around the novel, and she brought it backward, down on his head with all her strength.  
The book made contact with his skull, and the Hydra agent crumpled.  
Peggy sighed with relief and breathed in much needed oxygen. She looked at the two children. "What must they think of me now that I've knocked their father unconscious?"  
"Miss Margaret" they hugged her tight  
"Mother is downstairs" Tony explained  
"We could lay her on the couch" Tasha went on  
"I see" Peggy nodded. A brainwave came to her, "Children, where's your skipping rope?"  
Tony rushed over to the toy chest and pulled it out, and handed it to her. Peggy then used it to deftly tie up Alex against the chair that once stood between the children's two twin beds. She then instructed the children to go downstairs and while one of them stayed with Delores, the other would go contact one of their neighbors to alert the needed authorities. Peggy herself watched Alex, slumped against the chair, bound with his children's own accessories.

After all the ruckus had died down, and Alex had been incarcerated for his work against both the Home Office and the country at large, Peggy met with Delores and the children before the agent left her homeland.  
"Will you be alright?" Peggy was genuinely concerned  
"I believe so" Delores looked different now, more confident of herself, and less bound by rigid rules and regulations. "We'd found a house in Sussex where there's farmland, and the children can have some time off. Children do need to play" she smiled  
"They do" Peggy agreed. How different things had become now. Her job description had changed so much over these past few days. "And you'll be fine?" she knelt and addressed the children.  
"We'll be alright" Tasha nodded. Her hair was growing longer now, the soft edges now curling under her ears.  
"We'll miss you an awful lot" Tony sighed.  
Peggy hugged them both, "and I'll miss you, too" she stood, and addressed Delores again, "do contact Shield, either in the US, or here, if there's anything you need"  
"I shall" Delores hugged Peggy. As they released each other from the light embrace, Peggy asked,  
"What will you do?" she meant to earn money  
Delores understood, "I'm sure I'll find something. Things are different now. If I could work in the Home Office, even as what it was, then I'm sure I can find meaningful work again"  
Peggy smiled and turned to head to hail a taxi and go to the airport.  
"Where are you going now?" Delores asked  
Peggy turned back, "Now, I go to work"


End file.
